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Most Common Causes of Death Due to Injury in the US

The most common causes of death due to injury in the United States

Cause of death Total number of deaths Percentage of total deaths 1. Heart disease 696,96220.6%2. Cancer 602,35017.8%3. COVID-19350,83110.4%4. Accidents (unintentional injuries) 200,9555.9%5. Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases)160,2644.7%6. Chronic lower respiratory diseases152,6574.5% 7. Alzheimer’s disease 134,2424.0%8. Diabetes 102,1883.0%9. Influenze and pneumonia 53,5441.6%10. Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, and nephrosis (kidney disease)52,5471.6%

The table is derived from the National Safety Council's data on accidents. There are four columns:
    Column 1: Manner of injury
    Column 2: Total number of deaths nationwide due to the manner of injury for the year 2000
    Column 3: Odds of dying in one year due to the manner of injury [i.e. 1 in 46,901 chance of dying as a Pedestrian]
    Column 4: Odds of dying over the course of a lifetime due to the manner of injury [i.e. 1 in 610 chance of dying as a Pedestrian]
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Source: National Safety Council "estimates based on data from National Center for Health Statistics and U.S. Census Bureau. Deaths are classified on the basis of the Tenth Revision of the World Health Organization's "The International Classification of Diseases" (ICD). Numbers following titles refer to External Cause of Morbidity and Mortality classifications in ICD-10. One year odds are approximated by dividing the 2000 population (275,306,000) by the number of deaths. Lifetime odds are approximated by dividing the one-year odds by the life expectancy of a person born in 2000 (76.9 years)."

Sort by: Manner of Injury | Odds of Injury

Type of Accident or Manner of InjuryTotal Deaths in 2000One Year Odds [1 in #]Lifetime Odds [1 in #]




Pedestrian5,87046,901610
Pedalcyclist740372,0354,838
Motorcycle rider2,76599,5681,295
Occupant of three-wheeled motor vehicle2311,969,826155,654
Car occupant14,81318,585242
Occupant of pick-up truck or van3,26884,2431,095
Occupant of heavy transport vehicle369746,0879,702
Bus occupant2013,765,300179,003
Animal rider or occupant of animal-drawn vehicle972,838,20636,908
Occupant of railway train or railway vehicle309,176,867119,335
Occupant of streetcar1275,306,0003,580,052
Other and unspecified land transport accidents16,85016,339212
Occupant of special industrial vehicle1518,353,733238,670
Occupant of special agricultural vehicle2731,008,44713,114
Occupant of special construction vehicle377,440,70396,758
Occupant of all-terrain or other off-road motor vehicle717383,9694,993
Other and unspecified person15,80817,416226
Water transport accidents630436,9945,683
Drowning466590,7857,683
Other and unspecified injuries1641,678,69521,830
Air and space transport accidents777354,3194,608
Other and unspecified transport accidents and sequelae496555,0527,218
Other specified transport accidents2137,653,0001,790,026
Unspecified transport accident468,826,500895,013
Transport Accidents46,7495,88977
Falls13,32220,666269
Fall on same level from slipping, tripping and stumbling565487,2676,336
Other fall on same level 1,885146,0511,899
Fall involving bed, chair, other furniture650423,5485,508
Fall on and from stairs and steps1,307210,6402,739
Fall on and from ladder or scaffolding412668,2188,689
Fall from out of or through building or structure506544,0837,075
Other fall from one level to another687400,7375,211
Other and unspecified fall7,31037,662490
Exposure to inanimate mechanical forces2,76899,4601,293
Struck by or striking against object877313,9184,082
Caught between objects843,277,45242,620
Contact with machinery676407,2575,296
Contact with sharp objects803,441,32544,751
Firearms discharge776354,7764,613
Explosion and rupture of pressurized devices309,176,867119,335
Fireworks discharge555,061,200716,010
Explosion of other materials1671,648,53921,437
Foreign body entering through skin or natural orifice367,647,38999,446
Other and unspecified inanimate mechanical forces377,440,70396,758
Exposure to animate mechanical forces2041,349,53917,549
Struck by or against another person614,513,21358,689
Bitten or struck by dog2610,588,692137,694
Bitten or struck by other mammals654,235,47755,078
Bitten or stung by nonvenomous insect and other arthropods930,589,556397,784
Bitten or crushed by other reptiles318,880,839115,486
Other and unspecified animate mechanical forces1222,942,167298,338
Accidental drowning and submersion3,48279,0651,028
Drowning and submersion while in or falling into bath-tub341807,34910,499
Drowning and submersion while in or falling into swimming-pool567485,5496,314
Drowning and submersion while in or falling into natural water1,135242,5603,154
Other and unspecified drowning and submersion1,439191,3182,488
Other accidental threats to breathing5,64848,744634
Accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed327841,91410,948
Other accidental hanging and strangulation falling earth and other substances333826,74510,751
Threat to breathing due to cave-in644,301,65655,938
Inhalation of gastric contents382720,6969,372
Inhalation and ingestion of food causing obstruction of respiratory tract744370,0354,812
Inhalation and ingestion of other objects causing obstruction of respiratory tract3,18786,3841,123
Confined to or trapped in a low-oxygen environment1518,353,733238,670
Other and unspecified threats to breathing596461,9236,007
Exposure to electric current, radiation, temperature, and pressure419657,0558,544
Electric transmission lines992,780,86936,162
Other and unspecified electric current296930,08812,095
Radiation0------
Excessive heat or cold of man-made origin1222,942,167298,338
High and low air pressure and changes in air pressure1222,942,167298,338
Other and unspecified man-made environmental factors0------
Exposure to smoke, fire and flames3,37781,5241,060
Uncontrolled fire in building or structure2,77699,1741,290
Uncontrolled fire not in building or structure684,048,61852,648
Controlled fire in building or structure505,506,12071,601
Controlled fire not in building or structure299,493,310123,450
Ignition of highly flammable material654,235,47755,078
Ignition or melting of nightwear930,589,556397,784
Ignition or melting of other clothing and apparel1162,373,32830,863
Other and unspecified smoke fire and flames2641,042,82613,561
Contact with heat and hot substances1102,502,78232,546
Contact with hot tap-water555,005,56465,092
Other and unspecified heat and hot substances555,005,56465,092
Contact with venomous animals and plants803,441,32544,751
Contact with venomous snakes and lizards1222,942,167298,338
Contact with venomous spiders555,061,200716,010
Contact with hornets, wasps and bees545,098,25966,297
Contact with other and unspecified venomous animal or plant930,589,556397,784
Exposure to forces of nature1,223225,1072,927
Exposure to excessive natural heat301914,63811,894
Exposure to excessive natural cold742371,0324,825
Lightning505,506,12071,601
Earthquake and other earth movements357,865,886102,287
Cataclysmic storm495,618,49073,062
Flood555,061,200716,010
Exposure to other and unspecified forces of nature416,714,78087,318
Accidental poisoning by and exposure to noxious substances12,75721,581281
Nonopioid analgesics antipyretics and antirheumatics1761,564,23920,341
Antiepileptic sedative-hypnotic antiparkinsonism and psychotropic drugs n.e.c.704391,0605,085
Narcotics and psychodysleptics [hallucinogens] n.e.c.6,13944,845583
Other and unspecified drugs medicaments and biologicals4,69358,663763
Alcohol302911,60911,854
Gases and vapours631436,3015,674
Other and unspecified chemicals and noxious substances1122,458,08931,965
Overexertion, travel and privation1851,488,14119,352
Accidental exposure to other and unspecified factors and sequelae7,57636,339473
Nontransport Unintentional (Accidental) Injuries51,1515,38270
Deaths Due to Unintentional (Accidental) Injuries97,9002,81237




Intentional self-poisoning4,85956,659737
Intentional self-harm by hanging, strangulation, and suffocation5,68848,401629
Intentional self-harm by firearm16,58616,599216
Other and unspecified means and sequelae2,217124,1801,615
Intentional self-harm29,3509,380122
Assault by firearm10,80125,489331
Assault by sharp object1,805152,5241,983
Other and unspecified means and sequelae4,15966,195861
Assault16,76516,421214
Poisoning2,557107,6681,400
Hanging, strangulation, and suffocation1042,647,17334,424
Drowning and submersion2311,191,80115,498
Firearm discharge2301,196,98315,565
Exposure to smoke, fire, and flames763,622,44747,106
Falling, jumping, or pushed from a high place555,005,56465,092
Other and unspecified means and sequelae566486,4066,325
Event of undetermined intent3,81972,089937
Legal intervention involving firearm discharge2701,019,65213,259
Legal execution803,441,32544,751
Other and unspecified means and sequelae930,589,556397,784
Legal intervention3599,972
Operations of war and sequelae1617,206,625223,753
Complications of medical and surgical care and sequelae3,05989,9991,170




All External Causes of Mortality151,2681,82024


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